Premier League club Brentford to sell stake at £400m valuation
Sky News has learnt that an agreement that will involve current owner Matthew Benham offloading a chunk of his holding to Gary Lubner - the wealthy businessman who ran Autoglass-owner Belron - is expected to be announced as early as Tuesday.
Matthew Vaughn, the Hollywood film-maker whose credits include Layer Cake and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, is also expected to invest in Brentford as part of the deal, The Athletic reported last month.
One insider suggested that the stake purchase would value the club at roughly £400m.
Further details of the transaction were unclear on Monday night, although the insider speculated that it could ultimately see as much as 25% of the club changing hands.
If confirmed, it would underline the continuing interest from wealthy investors in top-flight English clubs.
FA Cup winners Crystal Palace have seen a minority stake being bought by Woody Johnson, the New York Jets-owner, in the last few weeks, with that deal hastened by the implications of former shareholder John Textor's simultaneous ownership of a stake in French club Lyon.
Sky News revealed in February 2024 that Mr Benham had hired bankers at Rothschild to market a stake in Brentford.
Under Mr Benham's stewardship, it has enjoyed one of the most successful transformations in English football, rising from the lower divisions to the top division in 2021.
It has also moved from its long-standing Griffin Park home to a new stadium near Kew Bridge.
This summer is proving to be one of transition, with manager Thomas Frank joining Tottenham Hotspur and striker Bryan Mbeumo the subject of persistent interest from Manchester United.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Napoli ready to hand Raheem Sterling transfer lifeline with Chelsea locked in talks over two MORE arrivals
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RAHEEM Sterling could be offered a Chelsea escape route by Napoli. But the Italian champions, who already have former Premier League stars Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour on their books, want a loan deal for Sterling on similar terms to Arsenal last season. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Chelsea are desperate to find a permanent home for the ex-England man Credit: Getty And Chelsea have made it clear that they want to find a permanent move for the former England international. Juventus and Bayer Leverkusen are also interested in Sterling, 30, who has two years left on his £325,000-per-week contract with the Blues. Chelsea paid a significant proportion of the ex Manchester City winger's wages after he joined Arsenal in a last-minute deal last summer. There may have to be compromise on all sides if Sterling is to relaunch his career away from Stamford Bridge again this year.. Napoli have turned their attention to Sterling after being frustrated in their efforts to sign winger Dan Ndoye from Bologna. Ndoye is also a target for Nottingham Forest and Napoli are losing patience with their Serie A rivals. Napoli offer Sterling a great example of how a new start abroad can work for Premier League stars. Former Manchester United midfielder McTominay in particular has reinvented himself as a hero in Naples after playing a key role in last season's success. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Meanwhile, in another frantic summer of coming and goings at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea are locked in talks with Ajax over teenage defender Jorrel Hato. The Blues are thought to have indicated they are prepared to pay around £35m for Hato, 19. Man Utd hunting Jackson as Chelsea's demands revealed | Transfers Exposed But Ajax say they want £50m, and former player Danny Blind, who is in his second stint on the club's supervisory board, has a history of playing hardball. Back in 2022, Blind negotiated a deal with Manchester United for Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez which saw United pay an initial fee of £48.3m, rising to £56.7m. Chelsea are said to be moving closer to a deal for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons. The Blues are yet to make a formal bid and Leipzig are said to be sticking to their £60m valuation of the Dutch international. But there is increasing confidence at Chelsea that a compromise will be reached and Simons will be added to the club's formidable array of attacking talent.
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Newcastle ready to swoop for RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko after Alexander Isak's bombshell bid to quit St James' Park
The Magpies are also launching a bid for a £30million-rated Premier League forward Ses please Newcastle ready to swoop for RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko after Alexander Isak's bombshell bid to quit St James' Park Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NEWCASTLE UNITED are exploring a swoop for RB Leipzig's 22-year-old Benjamin Sesko as a possible Alexander Isak replacement. Isak rocked Newcastle on Thursday by telling them he wants to leave the club - with Liverpool ready to pounce for the £120million-rated striker. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko has emerged as a target for Newcastle united Credit: Getty 6 The magpies are scrambling to replace Alexander Isak he revealed his desire to leave the club Credit: Getty The club are exploring a move for the 22-year-old Slovenian, but the finances of such a deal are understood to be difficult for the North East club. Sesko was linked to Arsenal, Man Utd and Al Hilal earlier in the window. The Gunners have since moved forward with a deal for Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, while Man Utd have signed Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, leaving Newcastle a clear run at Sesko. The 6ft 5in striker signed a new contract last summer that saw him drop a £55million release clause. However, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Sesko has a "gentlemen's agreement" that certain clubs could see his fee reduced to £60-70million with add-ons. The hitman netted 21 goals in 45 games last season across all competitions for RB Leipzig. The Magpies are also working on a £30million bid for Brentford's Yoane Wissa. The DR Congo international could be the latest Brentford star out the door following Mbeumo's move to Man Utd. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Isak, 25, spurred Newcastle to look at other options when the £150m-rated hotshot expressed his desire to leave the club. The Magpies, who had hoped to tie the Swede to a new mega-money contract, had claimed his absence from Newcastle's pre-season trip to Singapore was due to a 'minor thigh injury'. Newcastle contract blunder could cost them Isak But Isak, who SunSport learned was complaining of the thigh and groin problems that dogged him last season while in Austria last week, is reluctant to sign a £300,000-a-week extension. Instead he has informed the club that he wants to go and things could now accelerate despite Newcastle's Saudi owners still backing boss Eddie Howe's wishes and refusing to sell. Howe stated Isak would 'absolutely' be on the plane after the 4-0 defeat at Celtic on Saturday - even though he sent Isak home from Glasgow due to him being affected by transfer speculation. Newcastle knocked back Liverpool's approach last week and continue to insist they will not sell last season's 27-goal top scorer. The Reds then hijacked Newcastle's move for Hugo Ekitike but Arne Slot still hopes to bring Isak in while Saudi side Al-Hilal are also keen. Sun Sport reported how Isak's camp initially felt let down by Newcastle 12 months ago. 6 6 Isak has been at the centre of a transfer saga with Premier League champions Liverpool this window Credit: Getty 6 Eddie Howe has a lot of work to do if he wants to keep or replace Isak ready for the beginning of the season Credit: Getty That was due to the promise of a pay rise from his current £130,000-a-week contract made by the club's former co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi failing to happen. One of the first decisions from the now ex-sporting director Paul Mitchell was to postpone negotiations due to his contract having four years to run and a feeling he was already handsomely paid. Despite Mitchell's departure and Newcastle's willingness to smash their £150,000-a-week pay ceiling to make him the best-paid player in their history, they now face a huge fight to hang on to their prized asset. Meanwhile, Alan Shearer slammed his former club and claimed it was 'ridiculous' that they didn't just tell the 'truth' about Isak wanting away. Toon's all-time top scorer told Betfair: 'It's ridiculous what Newcastle put out to say he wasn't on the trip because of a slight thigh injury. If they thought people wouldn't see through that - it was disappointing. 'They should've just told the truth straight away. I understand it's a very difficult situation for them but it is what it is. 'Isak has been brilliant for Newcastle, helped us achieve our dream of winning a trophy and if there's no way whatsoever that he can be persuaded to stay at Newcastle, then they have to get the best deal possible and if someone's prepared to pay what they want, you have to say thank you and build for the future.' Shearer added: 'There's no individual bigger than the football club. Newcastle will be losing a world class player if he goes. Players leave football clubs all the time and get replaced. If that's the case here, it's disappointing but you have to say thank you and move on.' 6 Away from the senior squad, Newcastle have made South Korean Park Seung-soo the latest wonderkid to join their ranks. The 18-year-old winger, the youngest professional goalscorer in South Korean football history, joined from K League 2 side Suwon Bluewings. He is the latest talented teen to join the ranks on Tyneside following the recent captures of Spanish whizkid Antonio Cordero, Georgian forward Vakhtang Salia and Irish starlet Kyle Fitzgerald.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Hugo Ekitike's £79m arrival clears path for Liverpool forward to leave Anfield on loan as Arne Slot reshapes attack ahead of Premier League title defence
Liverpool will allow their Wales international forward Lewis Koumas to go out on loan again following the £79million signing of Hugo Ekitike. Koumas, 19, scored six times for Stoke City on loan last season and it's felt another spell of playing regularly away from Anfield would be best to aid his long-term development. The Championship is Koumas' likeliest destination for the second consecutive year but moves abroad or to the Premier League haven't been ruled out. Koumas is regarded highly by Liverpool and scored on his debut aged 18 against Southampton in 2024 in what is his only first-team appearance for the club to date. In addition to making 49 appearances for Stoke, Koumas has also won six caps for Wales, where his father Jason was part of the Noughties team alongside the likes of Craig Bellamy. Bellamy is now Wales manager and excited about the future for Koumas. 'He's one of those players who just, every time he has it, you feel like something's is going to happen. Something positive happens. Fearless.' Born in Liverpool, Koumas began his footballing journey in the Tranmere Rovers academy - the same club where his father started his career - before switching to Liverpool at a young age. His natural talent was quickly recognised, and he steadily rose through the ranks at Kirkby, often playing above his age group. The forward signed his first professional contract with Liverpool in January 2023 before penning a new long-term deal last August. He featured for 45 minutes in the Reds' 3-1 pre-season victory over Preston North End, but may not suit up again as the club look to loan him out again.
